Oil flow pump



Oct. 31

E. oLpHAM OIL FLOW PUMP* original Filed oci. 22', 1955 gums/nm Patented Oct. 31, 1939 Olii FLOW PUMP Earl Oldham, Bakersfield, Calif.

Application Getober 22, 1935, Serial Nc. 46,158 Renewed April 14, 1939 i claims. (ci. 10s-232) The device forming the subject matter of this application is employed to force oil or other liquid out of a well, employing either built-up gas pres sure or air pressure to carry the liquid to the surface. The invention aims to provideaY de- .vice` of the class'described having a novel globe or nozzle, functioning to aid in lifting the liquid from the well; The invention aims to provide an article of the kind specified which is void of movable` parts, it being possible, byduplication,

to secure a stage action, so that the structure maybe used upondeep wells if desired. The invention aims to supply a device of the class described in which the upkeep and lifting costs are l5 reduced to a minimum, the device being well adapted to ywithstand hard use and having a long working life. A further object `of the invention is to supply an article of the kind described, into which distillate or any other cleanser may be 2 0 introduced readily, in the event of parafline clogging.

vItv is Within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance theutility of y devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View,y which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction y hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of.

the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. n I

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being in section, and parts being broken away; n

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing 'the foot valve and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a `longitudinal section showing the nozzle or globe and parts associated therewith.

The numeral 5i marks a well casing, carrying a casing head 2.

The gas regulator is shown at 3. The numeral- 4 yli designates a pipe extended between the casing head 2 and the gas regulator 3. An outer tubing I is disposed within the well casing 5! and exn tends outwardly through the casing head 2. A pipe 5G connects the upper end of the outer tubing I with the gas regulator 3. A pipe t8 is conn nected to the upper end of the outer tubing i and may carry a valve lli. The pipe 48 is an exampleof any suitable means for producing air i5 pressure or other fluid pressure withinuthe outer tubing i, in the event that the gas pressure within the casing 5i is insuilicient to supply the desired pressure within the outer tubing i, by way of the pipe l-l, the regulator 3 and the pipe 50.

There is a stuing box it on the upper end lI5 of the outer tubing I. An inner or macaroni tubing iii is located within the outer tubing I, and extends upwardly through the stuffing box 435. A bull plug and gate structure i5 is mounted en the upper end ofthe macaroni tubing i9. bull plug and gate structure l5 has outlets lill.

A coupling 5 is threaded on the lower end of the outer tubing i. Near its upper end, the coupling 5 has an internal, downwardly tapered seat t. The lower end of the coupling 5 is threaded 1,5 on the upper end of a foot valve casing 1. Near its lower end, the foot valve casing l' is provided with a lower internal shoulder 8. A foot valve guide 9 is threaded upwardly into the casing l, into abutment with the shoulder 8. The foot 20 valve guide 9 has vertical passages I 0 therethrough. The stem lI of an upwardly tapered foot valve i2 slides longitudinally in the guide 9. The stem. il of the foot valve I2 is polygonal in ycross section, the opening i3 in the foot valve 25 guide S is correspondingly shaped, and, therefore, the valve l2 cannot rotate with respect to the foot valve guide 9. A compression spring I4 is disposed about the valve stem H. The spring it abuts at its lower end against the guide 9, and 3Q abuts at'its upper end against the foot valve I2. The tendency of the spring I4 is to carry the foot valve l2 upwardly into contact with aseat I 5 formed in a ring i6 threaded downwardly into the casing TI, into an abutment with an upper 35 internal shoulder Il formed in the casing I. The foot Valve I2 has a nosev I8 extended upwardly through the ring I6. The nose i8 is polygonal in cross section.

An inner tubing I9 is disposed within the outer 40 tubing i. A coupling 22 connects the lower end of the inner tubing I9 with the upper end of a foot 23. The foot 23 has a seat 24 with which cooperates a downwardly closing check valve 25, .for instance a ball Valve. The foot 23 has a 4,5 thickened part 25, adapted to t closelyl within the coupling 5 and provided with a tapered part El, adapted to fit snugly on the seat t of the coupling 5. The foot 23 terminates at its lcwer end in a reduced neck 28, into which is threaded the upper end of a cup-shaped Valve opener 29. The valve opener 29 has side openings 35i. A shoulder Q9 on the valve opener 29 engages the lower end of the neck 28 of the foot 23. A bushing or bean 3i is threaded into the upper end 55 The 1.0,vv

of the valve opener 29. The lower end of the valve opener 29 is adapted to engage the upper end of the nose I8 on the valve i2. The valve opener 29 is threaded at 42 into a vertically adjustable, cup-shaped gate 4I, having openings 49, adapted to be brought more or less into registration with the openings 39 of the valve opener 29. The lower end of the gate 4I is marked by the numeral 39 and is so shaped as to t against rotation on the upper end of the nose I8 of the valve I2.

A nozzle or globe 32 is located in the inner or macaroni tubing I9, at any suitable distance above the valve 25. The nozzle 32 is tapered from its intermediate portion toward its ends and is provided with a central bore 33, extended downwardly into the nozzle from the upper end thereof, the bore being terminated short of the lower end of the nozzle. Tubular, radially disposed connections 34 support the nozzle 32 in the inner tubing I9 and establish communication between the bore 33 and the space 32 between the inner tubing I9 and the outer tubing I.

The outer tubing I is lowered into the well casing 5I, the foot valve I2 being closed upon the seat I5, by the action of the spring I4. The inner tubing I9 is lowered into the outer tubing I, until the tapered part 2'I of the foot 23 engages the seat 3 in the coupling 5, the space 32 between the tubings I and I9 thus being saled at its lower end against the entrance of oil, the space 32 between the tubings I and I9, and above the thickened part 2S of the foot 23, being reserved 'for the actuating pressure fluid, which may be either gas 01 air.

When the inner tubing I9 and associated parts are lowered into the outer tubing I, the opener 29 engages the nose I8 of the valve I2 and opens the Valve I2, against the action of the spring I4, as shown in Fig. 2. Then there is established a delivery conduit for oil, comprising the lower part of the foot valve casing 1, the passages I0 in the foot valve guide 9, the ring I3, the openings of the gate 4I, the openings 39 of the opener 29, the bean 3I, the foot 23, the inner tubing I9, and one or both of the outlets 44, the check valve 25 preventing retrograde flow.

If there is sufficient gas pressure in the well casing 5I, the pressure passes by way of the pipe 4, the regulator 3 and the pipe 5U, into the outer tubing I, the gas pressure flowing downwardly between the tubings I and I9. The gas, under pressure, passes by way or" the connections 34 into the bore 33 of the nozzle 32, the iluid pressure having an upward action within the inner tubing i9, which draws up and forces upwardly and outwardly the oil, the oil leaving by way of the outlets 44, hereinbefore mentioned.

In the event that the gas supply from the well is not sufficient to bring about the result hereinbefore mentioned, additional pressure may be applied by a pump, compressor or the like (not shown), connected to the pipe 48, or, if desired, the gas pressure in the well, and additional pressure derived by way of the pipe 48, may be used together.

In deep wells, the necessary lift can be obtained by stage duplication, readily understandable from the foregoing, to persons skilled in the art to which the present invention appertains.

It is to be understood that the inner tubing I9 may be rotated at the will of an operator, and when the inner tubing is rotated, the foot 23-26 and the valve opener 29 are rotated also. Because the gate 4I is threaded at 42 on the opener 29, and because the gate 4I is held against rotation on the nose I8 of the valve I2, the gate 4I will be moved up and down, when the inner tubing I9 is rotated. By this procedure, the open ings 39 of the opener 29 and the openings 40 of the gate 4I may be brought more or less into registration, and in that way the flow of oil from the well can be regulated. When the valve opener 29 is threaded into the neck 28 of the foot 23, the shoulder 49 on the valve opener is jammed hard against the shoulder on the neck and the opener thereby is secured xedly to the neck, for all practical purposes. Moreover, the threaded connection 42 between the opener 29 and the gate 4I always is well lubricated by oil found in the well and permits a ready rotation of the opener with respect to the gate. Therefore, practically considered, the opener 29 does not tend to rotate in the neck 28 of the part 23, when the operation which consists in adjusting the gate 4I takes place as aforesaid. The bull plug and gate structure 45 may be opened when a governed blow-off is desired.

Having thus described the invention, claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, an outer tubing and an inner tubing, the inner tubing constituting part of an outlet conduit for the liquid to be lifted, means for lifting liquid within the inner tubing, an upwardly closing foot valve assembled with the lower portion of the outer tubing, spring means for closing the foot valve, a valve opener carried by the inner tubing and cooperating with the foot Valve to open the foot valve when the inner tubing is lowered into the outer tubing, and a gate receiving the valve opener, the gate and the valve opener having openings, the gate being threaded on the valve opener, and the gate being held by the foot valve, against rotation, whereby when the inner tubing and the valve opener are rotated, the gate will be moved longitudinally of the valve opener, thereby to bring the openings of the gate and of the valve opener into registration in varying amounts.

2. In a device oi tubing and an inner tubing, the inner tubing constituting part of an outlet conduit for the liquid to be lifted, means for lifting liquid within the inner tubing, an upwardly closing foot valve what is assembled with the lower portion of the outer tubing, spring means for closing the foot valve, a valve opener carried by the inner tubing and cooperating with the foot valve to open the foot valve when the inner tubing is lowered into the outer tubing, and a gate receiving the valve opener, the Valve opener having a side opening, the gate being threaded on the valve opener, and the gate being held by the foot valve, against rotation, whereby when the inner tubing and the valve opener are rotated, the gate will be moved longitudinally of the valve opener, thereby to control the opening in the valve opener 3. In a device of the character described, an outer tubing, and an inner tubing, the inner tubing forming a part of an outlet conduit for the liquid to be lifted, means for lifting liquid within the inner tubing, a resiliently tensioned upwardly closing foot Valve assembled on the lower portion of the outer tubing, a perforated valve opener on the lower end of the inner tubing cooperable with the foot valve to open the same when the inner tubing is lowered into the outer tubing, a concentrically arranged perforated gate threaded on the valve opener and held by the foot valve against rotation, the perforations in said valve the class described, an outer opener and gate adapted for register with each other, whereby rotation ofthe inner tubing and perforated valve opener carried thereby will cause a variation of register of the openings in said valve opener and gate to control the amount' of liquid being lifted.

4. In a device of the character described, an v outer'tubing, and an inner tubing, the inner tubing forming a part of an outlet conduit for the liquid to be lifted, a iiuid pressure chamber formed between said tubing at the upperend thereof, means for lifting liquid within the inner tubing including an upwardly discharging nozzle supported in said inner tubing and provided with fluid pressure conducting passages in said nozzle supporting means, a resiliently tensioned upwardly closing foot valve assembled on the lower portion of the outer tubing, a perforated valve opener on the lower end of the inner tubing cooperable with the foot valve to open the same when the inner tubing is lowered into the outer tubing, a concentrically arranged perforated gate threaded on the valve opener and held by the foot valve against rotation, the perforations in said valve opener and gate adapted for register with each other, whereby rotation o-f the inner tubing and perforated valve opener carried thereby will cause` a variation of register of the openings in said valve opener and gate to control the amount of liquid being lifted.

EARL OLDI-IAM. 

